


Rich People Problems

by ronnieandcher



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-03
Updated: 2017-04-03
Packaged: 2018-10-14 07:13:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10531518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ronnieandcher/pseuds/ronnieandcher
Summary: a cheronica AU inclusive of jason being alive and well, together with polly





	

 

 

 

> THE BLOSSOM FAMILY REQUESTS THE PLEASURE OF YOUR COMPANY AT A BALL TO ANNOUNCE THE ENGAGEMENT OF THEIR SON JASON BLOSSOM TO POLLY COOPER ON THE EVENING OF SATURDAY THE FOURTEENTH AT NINE O'CLOCK AT THORNHILL MANSION. BLACK-TIE ATTIRE IS REQUIRED
> 
>  

Cheryl Blossom snorted as her eyeliner wand dropped on the scented invitation and left a black stain on the paper. She and Jason were  _only_ seventeen, but the minute Penelope Blossom got wind of Jason and Polly's plan to elope, she decided to put a stop to this by letting the whole town know that her son was spoken for: through this extravagant engagement party that would have made Jay Gatsby proud.

Her mother was smart, Cheryl had to give her that. Two days before Jason and Cheryl planned their "boat ride to Jason's freedom", as he had phrased, Penelope surprised everyone by securing Polly's release from the home she was staying in, and had her over for breakfast, promising Polly full support for her relationship with Jason.

Cheryl could still recall, with perfect clarity, the moment she had descended their grand staircase that morning, and heard her mother in absolute excitement. "We have to invite the whole town to celebrate my son's choice!" Cheryl had walked in on Penelope at the dining table with a gleam in her eye, and Polly smiling uncertainly, her breakfast untouched, gripping Jason's hand nervously.  _My son's choice_ , Cheryl observed, unsurprised. For Penelope, the point of the whole thing, of every situation, really, was Jason.  

"Really, Mother? _You_ would allow teenagers to get married?" Cheryl demanded, pulling out one of the heavy dining chairs that had been in the Blossom mansion for years. She shot Jason a look that promised they would talk later. 

"I, for one, will see this marriage go through," Penelope had declared. Cheryl couldn't believe her ears. "I am still a sane mother, therefore the wedding happens _after_ Jason turns eighteen. But it wouldn't hurt to form plans now."

Cheryl had then picked at her breakfast, refusing to participate in conversation, which was shocking, even for her. It wasn't that she didn't support her brother and Polly getting married; it was that _Penelope_ did. The whole scheme reeked of questionable merit. She got up from the table within fifteen minutes, and headed to recline by the pool, in the hope of clearing her thoughts. Jason had taken it as his cue to have a word with his twin, and excused himself to follow her, kissing the top of Polly's head before he left.

"What is her angle?" Cheryl had practically shouted once they got out of the mansion. It had taken a great deal for her not to speak as long as they were in the house. If Penelope had figured out her son's innocent boat ride as a cover to run away with his girlfriend, with his twin as his accomplice, Cheryl realized she couldn't trust anyone in that wretched house. Who _had_ overheard them discussing the boat ride? How had her mother even known where Polly was? Not even Cheryl had known which home Polly had been sent to. As fun as it was to dig up dirt on the other families in Riverdale, particularly the ones who cared so much about their perfect image, such as the Coopers, Cheryl privately felt a tiny ounce of pity for Polly.      

"I think she just doesn't want me to leave," Jason had plopped down on one of the pool chairs, his face in his hands. His stress was obvious. Cheryl couldn't blame him for feeling so overwhelmed; she was, too.

Cheryl sat down on the chair next to his. "Of course," she had said, as the realizations dawned upon her, one after another. "Because of this wedding, she'll ensure you stay here forever. Or, at least until she's ready to let you go. She probably hates Polly but she'd do anything so you won't leave. _Of course._ "

"Exactly," Jason sighed into his hands.

"But why does she want to drag the whole town into this? Isn't this too much? Even for her?"

"To ensure no future plans of elopement will happen?" Jason said, his voice muffled by his hands. "I hate to admit that she's right, because we didn't think this through. How are we supposed to raise—"

"Polly's  _pregnant_?" Cheryl had interrupted, her eyes wide. Jason had nodded, and for the first time that stressful morning, Cheryl saw his eyes light up.

"This changes everything," Cheryl breathed. "I hate to say this, but I agree with Mom. You _can't_ leave! Oh my God! I'm going to be an aunt! I—"  she had scooped Jason in a very tight hug. And then she had lovingly scolded him for  _almost_ taking this away from her.

And now here she was, two weeks later, contemplating her mother's most recent decisions as she prepared for the evening.  As she examined her scarlet Belle-reminiscent gown in the mirror, she thought about her mother and her ridiculous desire for extravagance, but she knew at the end of the day all this simply done out of protectiveness over Jason. And, as Cheryl twirled, she knew she couldn't blame her mother, or anyone for that matter, for loving Jason too much.

* * *

 

Cheryl gripped her wine glass as she tried not to smile at the irony of the violinists playing Vitamin String Quartet's rendition of Radiohead's "True Love Waits". Her mother had planned everything down to the number of fondant roses on the three-tier strawberry-flavored ruffled cake they had for the first serving of dessert, but Cheryl had secretly added her own list of songs for the band to play. She watched Jason gently twirl Polly, her cheeks rosy as he brushed a stray blonde curl from her face. Cheryl was still slightly disappointed she failed to save her brother from the hell that was Riverdale, but watching him be happy was everything to her, and she was almost grateful Penelope had gone through all this trouble to make sure Jason stayed.

She took another sip of wine, thankful that her mother was too preoccupied discussing the details of her marsala satin gown with Mayor McCoy to notice Cheryl was eyeing all the women in the room. Of course the two other Cooper women were in attendance—Alice looking stunning in a lavender gown and her blonde hair not in its typical Stepford wife parting, but instead swept in a lovely updo, and her youngest daughter, Betty, in a Tiffany blue halter dress that ended right below her knees, an obvious move done by a controlling mother who wanted her daughter to look lovely without eclipsing her in the fashion department.    

Ginger Lopez, Cheryl's right-hand woman (or so Ginger believed, but Cheryl didn't bother correcting this), was missing from the scene but Cheryl knew she was probably in one of the guest rooms, making out with one of the attractive servers—Penelope was always known for hiring aesthetically pleasing people. Josie, Mayor McCoy's daughter and one of Cheryl's best friends, was dancing with Reggie Mantle, him in a dashing dark blue suit, and her, in a low-cut red dress, truly a star in Cheryl's eyes. (Josie was also the only girl Cheryl would forgive for wearing a dress the same color as hers.) Josie's two other band mates, Valerie Brown and Melody Valentine, looked like ethereal goddesses, in a chiffon wrap dress, and a black gown with a thigh-high slit, respectively. For humble townspeople, everyone seemed to take formal events seriously.  

Cheryl got up from her seat—three boys had already asked her to dance, including Archie Andrews (but she suspected he was only doing this to be nice, as he couldn't keep his eyes off Jughead Jones the entire night, something she found wasteful but slightly adorable), and she had refused, because there was only one person she wanted to be in close contact with that night, someone who wasn't dancing or mingling with the rest of the crowd.

She walked past the pool table, where some of Jason's football buddies were, and out into the enormous garden where everyone had dined earlier. The staff hadn't cleared anything yet; the round tables were all empty except for one where Veronica Lodge was sitting at. Cheryl sucked in a breath, a motion she did earlier when she first laid eyes on Veronica in her backless navy blue glittery evening gown. Veronica was the only person who had held any interest to Cheryl ever since the whispers of the "fallen Lodge women" moving to Riverdale had spread around, and Cheryl was determined to find out why. She knew Veronica was attending Riverdale High by the time August rolled around, as a sophomore, but so far that was all anyone really knew about this mysterious new girl.

Cheryl knew she had to say something before Veronica's bare back could make her knees any weaker. "Veronica Lodge," she breathed. Veronica turned around and stood up, holding out her hand. The gesture surprised Cheryl and she bit back a laugh.

"Cheryl Blossom. I'm sorry, should I be curtsying?" Veronica asked, with a hint of irony in her tone.

"You should. I'm a queen," Cheryl bit her lip, amused, "but in this circumstance, you don't really have to."

Veronica sat back down in her chair. Cheryl racked her brains trying to come up with something interesting to say, when Veronica asked, "So, what are the circumstances in which I actually have to?" 

Cheryl thanked her lucky stars she did not trip as she pulled out a chair opposite Veronica. She had only just _met_ the girl and she was so fascinated with her already, as annoying as it was to admit. "I haven't really thought about it yet." Cheryl was determined to keep her cool. She had her queen bee reputation to maintain, but somehow the risk of Veronica seeing her clumsily weakened by a schoolgirl crush (at least it was _only_ a schoolgirl crush) was high that particular evening. "I'll let you know. What are you doing out here anyway? My mother's ostentatious party doesn't impress New York's elite? I'll have to tell her to stop having six kinds of dessert served then."

Cheryl hoped she was being witty enough to impress the new girl, but unfortunately, Veronica decided to focus on something else. "How do you know I'm from New York?"

"Well, Riverdale _is_ a tiny town." _Thank God for that excuse_. "Everyone's parents apparently went to high school together. Where is your mother by the way?" 

"She wasn't feeling well. She told me to go instead, to make new friends, because she knew all her high school friends had kids my age. I did make a few acquaintances, but everyone has paired off to dance, I think."

"And you'd rather not participate in that level of social interaction?" Cheryl smirked. Maybe Veronica was just as bored as she was. Maybe the two of them were more alike than Cheryl had initially hoped. 

"I just felt like sitting here enjoying the view," came the response, and Cheryl froze. But Veronica wasn't looking at her, she was looking at the glorious inky black sky, dotted with stars. "I don't get a view like this where I live."

"I could keep you company," Cheryl volunteered without thinking. "I'm bored anyway."

"What? Penelope Blossom's ostentatious party doesn't impress Riverdale's queen?" Veronica grinned. "Show me around your castle then."

 _Finally_ , the night became interesting. 


End file.
